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We’re at that time of year again! But is Christmas just about the shopping, tree or presents? At its heart, Christmas is all about a God who has showed up on earth. The Creator of the universe, whose hands flung stars into space, cared enough to come to earth as a tiny baby.  ‘The Word...

No one is really sure, but a story is told of St Nicholas, a bishop who lived in the 4th century, who may have started the custom by accident.  St Nicholas was of a wealthy family, and of a generous heart.  As Christmas approached one year, he wanted to help a poor family whom he...

It was: 800 years ago, on 25th December 1223 that St Francis of Assisi created the first nativity scene, in Greccio, Italy, after visiting Jesus’ birthplace in the Holy Land. It proved enormously popular and inspired other communities to stage their own nativity scenes. 250 years ago, on 16th December 1773 that the Boston Tea...

The time to send and receive Christmas cards has come round again – time for our annual gasp at the cost of cards, and sheer disbelief at what the Post Office charges to send them. It seems there are three kinds of people when it comes to Christmas cards: the total abstainers, the total givers,...

Ever wonder where many of our Christmas traditions come from?   A surprising amount of our modern Christmas celebrations can be traced back to the well-loved story of ‘A Christmas Carol’, by Charles Dickens. When you read ‘A Christmas Carol’, you discover almost a template of the ‘ideal Christmas’ which we still hold dear today.  Dickens...

By Paul Woolley, CEO of London Institute for Contemporary Christianity Following the attacks on Israel by Hamas on Saturday 7th October, Israel’s Defence Minister ordered a ‘complete siege’ of the Gaza strip and the cutting off of food, fuel, electricity and water supplies. Speaking to officials from Southern Israel soon afterwards, the Israeli Prime Minister,...

During the month of December, people are ‘counting down’ to Christmas Day in an ever- increasing variety of ways. In my childhood we had a simple card with a traditional picture of a manger scene with doors marked with the countdown numbers and a picture of the different characters behind each.  If my parents had...

This Christmas, thousands of Nativity plays will be held around the UK. Ever wonder who staged the very first one? It was St Francis of Assisi, and it was 800 years ago, in Greccio, Italy, on 25th December 1223. Francis had been born into a wealthy family, but abandoned his noble inheritance when he became...

It is to St Luke’s wonderful gospel that many Christians turn as the year draws to a close and Christmas approaches, for it is to St Luke that we owe the fullest account of the nativity. Luke alone tells us the story of Mary and the angel’s visit to her, and has thus given the...

If you will be out in your car a lot this Christmas, here’s an easy way to stop your windscreen from misting up: Simply clean it with shaving foam. It provides a protective barrier which stops mist forming. Ice hockey players use it to stop their face masks from steaming up while they’re on the...

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have warmly invited parishes, choirs, and congregations to take part in the premiere of a special new Christmas carol in 2023. This new carol, a fresh interpretation of the famous words ‘The First Nowell’, has been composed by the well-known composer Bob Chilcott, for use by choirs across the Church of...

We’re at that time of year again! But is Christmas just about the shopping, tree or presents? At its heart Christmas is all about a God who has showed up on earth. The Creator of the universe, whose hands flung stars into space, cared enough to come to earth as a tiny baby.  ‘The Word...